Caster



W. H. McALLISTER.

CASTER.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJh, l9l9.

1,344, 11 8. Patented June 22, 1920.

awuewtoz W17. M A ll isfer UNITED STATESTPATENIT orifice) WILLIAM H. MCALLISTEB, 0F LINDEN, PENNSYLVANIA.

CASTER.

Specification tt rs P t Patented June 22,1920.

Application filed August 11, 1919. SeriaLNo. 316,851.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, VVILLIAM H. MoAL- LISTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Linden, in the county of Lycoming and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Casters; and I do hereby'declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains'to make and-use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. I

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in casters and consists in the provision of a simple and eflicient apparatus of this nature, having various details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and then specifically defined in the appended claims.

' My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, with the letters ofreference marked thereon, form a part of this application, and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank of metal from which the casing for caster is made.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of the casing in elevation. 7

Fig. 3 is a view partly in elevation and section, showing the application of the caster. I

Reference now beinghad to the details of the drawings by numerals: 7

1 designates a blank of metal, made preferably rectangular shape and recessed away at its longitudinal center at points opposite, leaving projecting lugs 5 and integral struck up lugs 1 disposed in opposite directions, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Said casing, at the point where it is bent upon itself, is formed into a head 8. When the blank, formed as shown in Fig. 1, is bent to form the casing illustrated in Fig. 2 of the .drawings, the lugs 5 are bent to form a socket to receive a ball bearing 7 as shown in full lines in Fig. 3 and in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The ends of the blank are bent to form hooked parts 1, as shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, and which are adapted to interlock with a beading 41' formed about the marginal edge of a central opening 3 in the disk 3. provided with circumferential spurs or teeth 4, which are bent at right angles to the disk and adapted to be inserted in the end of an object, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 to securely hold the casing in place when the latter is locked with the beaded portion of the disk, in the manner shown.

- The integral fingers 2 are bent into angular shape, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and the angled portions are opposite each other and form a choked portion within the casing, while the ends of the fingers, which are resilient, are adapted to engage the inclined shouldered portion 9 of the caster carrying post, which is made of a blank of metal struck up in theshape shown in dotted and solid lines inFig. 3. Said caster post has portions thereof bent upon themselves as at 10 and thence is provided with a downwardlyprojecting tubular portion 11 adapted to engage an opening in the yoke 13 carrying the caster 13'.

A thumb screw 12 is fitted in a threaded aperture in the yoke 13 and adapted to frictionably engage the projecting portion 11 to hold the caster in place.

It will be noted that the upper portion of the caster carrying post bears against the ball bearing 7 and against which most of the friction naturally comes in supporting the weight of the object to which the caster is attached. The resilient lugs 2 bear againstthe shoulder 9. and tend to hold the post in place within the casing.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings I have shown a slight modification of the form of post to which the caster is attached and which portion 14 of the post is solid andprovided with a shoulder 14, the upper surface of which is inclined, and against which the resilient lugs 2 contact, while the upper end Said disk is i a ball chamber in its .top, a ball in the chamher, and ball engaging members struck in from the sides of the socket at the bottom of the chamber and disposed beneath the ballfor keeping the latter in its chamber.

2. A socket for top bearing casters, having a ball chamber in its top, and means integral therewith for retaining a ball in said chamber.

, 3. A caster comprising a casing made up of a sheet of metal having portions of its edges recessed at points opposite, with integral lugs extending into said recesses, the wall of the casing provided with struck-up fingers each bent at an angle, said lugs adapted to be bent in opposite directions and concaved to form bearings, a ball engaging said bearings, a caster having a shank portion with an enlarged end engaging said ball and also the angled portion of said fingers.

4. A caster comprising a casing made of a sheet of metal having portions of its edges recessed at points opposite, with integral lugs extending into said recesses and bent in opposite directions and concaved to form ball bearings, a ball engaging said bearings, a member comprising a sheet of metal bent upon itself at its longitudinal center forming a head, bearing against said bearings, the opposite portions of said member being outwardly bent forming flaring portions, integral fingers struck up from said casing, and having angled portions bearing against the head portion of said member, and the ends of the fingers engaging the flaring parts of said member, a caster wheel and mounting therefor engaging said member,

5. A caster comprising a casing made of a sheet of metal having portions of its edges recessed at points opposite, with integral lugs extending into said recesses and bent in opposite directions and concaved to form ball bearings, a ball engaging said bearings, a member comprising a sheet of metal bent upon itself at its longitudinal center forming a head, bearing against said bearings, the opposite portions of said member being outwardly bent forming flaring portions, integral fingers struck up from said casing, and having angled portions bearing against the head portion of said member, and the ends of the fingers engaging the flaring parts of said member, portions of said member bent upon themselves and terminating in, a, contracted end, a caster wheel and hanger therefor which is recessed to receive the contracted part of said member.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

WILLIAM H. MQALLISTER. 

